Overseam sewing-machine.



No. 725,168. PATENTED APR. 14, 19013.

W. H. TEDMAN. OVERSEAM SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 17,1900.

N0 MODEL 8 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

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PATENTED APR. 14, 19013.

W. H. STEDMAN. OVERSEAM SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-17, 1900.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 24 N0 MODEL.

IIIIIUIQT l1 'lil x I jaa@ #JMW/W.

PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.l W. H. STEDMAN. OVERSEAM SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.17, 1900.

N0 MODEL.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

No. 725,168. Y PATENTED APB.. 14, 1903.

W. H. STEDMAN.

OVERSEAM SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED ooT.17, woo` No MODEL. s SHEETS-SHEET 4.

14; (111m nel.,

W. H. STEDMAN.

OVERSEAM SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 0GT.17, 1900.

VH0 MODEL. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

No. 725,168. i PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

W. H. STEDMAN. OVERSEAM SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T.17. 1900.

N0 MODEL 8 SHEETS-SHEET 6` l A l 1 i l No. 725.108. PATENTBD APR. 14, 1903.

W. H. STEDMAN.

OVERSEAM SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T.17. 1900.

No MODEL s SHEETS-SHEET 7,

No. 725,168. Y PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

` v W. H. STEDMAN.

OVERSBAM SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 00117, 1900.

No MODEL. s SHEETS-SHEET s.

#M M JMW.

UNITED STATES? PATENT CEETCE.

WILLIAM I-I. STEDMAN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ovEEs'l-:AM SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,168, dated April 14, 1903.

Application filed October 1'7, 1900. Serial No. 33,382. (No model.)

. thereon.

My invention relates to that class of sewingmachines known as overedging or overseaming machines; and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter described and claimed, whereby a very eflicient and durable machine is produced capable of being high rate'of speed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine of the preferred type embodying my present improvements. Fig.2 is a front elevationof the working parts of the machine with the base casing or housing `in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional view looking at the working mechanism illustrated in Fig. V2 from the left-hand side. Fig. 4 is a corresponding view looking at the said mechanism from the right-hand side. Fig. 5 is a top plan view with the cover and work plates removed. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation of the presser-foot-lifting mechanism. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the feed-dog and edge-controller with their carrying and operating mechanisms. Figs. 8, 9, 10, 1l, l2, and 13 are views illustrating the formation of a two-thread stitch by mechanism embodying my improvements. Fig. 14: is a similar View illustrating a second modification of my invention for forming a twothread stitch. Fig. l5 is a similar view showing a third modification for forming a twothread stitch. Fig. `16 is asimilar view illussafely run at a very trating a modification for forming a threethread stitch. Fig. 17 is a similar View illustrating aA modification for forming a fourthread stitch. Fig. 18 is a similar view illustrating a modification for forming a singlethread stitch.

Like letters of reference in the several iigures indicate the same parts.

In general the practical embodiment of my present invention utilizes an eye pointed thread-carrying needle adapted to pass a loop of needle-thread through the work near one edge, a pair of loop-carrying implements both mounted on a single carrier and reciprocating in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of Vreciprocation of the eye-pointed needle, one of saidimplements being located and operating beneath the pla-ne of the work and the other of said implements being located and operating above the plane of the work, and a third vertically-movable loopcarryingimplementlocated between the lower and the upper implements and having a movement from one to the other ofsaid implement-s.

In the operation when the needle has descended through the work the lower implement engages a loop of needle-thread and draws it or passes a thread carried by the ,implement through a loop of needle-thread and draws the thread carried by the implement out: to a point beyond the edge of the work. The verticallymovable implement then engages said drawnout thread, and either passes a second Vthread through a loop of the same or transfers the drawn-out thread to the upper implement, and the latter in like manner either passes a transferred loop of thread or a thread of its own back into the path of the eye-pointed needle above the work, and the needle in its next dolwnward movement passes through the loop thus presented to it and completes the formation of a stitch.

Obviously where a single thread is ernployed the lower implement will simply draw out the loop of the needle-thread, which loop will be caught by the vertically-movable implement and again caught by the upper implement and transferred back into the path of the needle; but where two or more threads are employed any one of the implements may be 'provided with an eye, and instead of transferring a loop, as just intimated, it will pass its thread through such loop, and a loop of its thread will be carried forward in similar manner to form the stitch.

In the preferred type of machine the eyepointed needle carries one thread and the vertically movable implement the second thread. The mechanism, it will be understood, is particularly adaptedfor this type of IOO machine, although well adapted for permitting of the use of a third orv fourth or a single thread by simple changes in the form of the operative ends of the implements, as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

As illustrated, the working parts of the machine are contained in a housing, preferably rectangular in shape, in the form of an integral casting with an open top, to which suitable top and work plates may be applied with the bearings for the working parts formed directly therein. The letter A indicates this casting or housing, and A a driveshaft passing through said housing from side to side and carrying at one end suitable driving mechanism--such, for instance, as the hand and belt wheel A10. The driveshaft is mounted in relatively long bearings A2 A3, which, if desired, may project outside of the plane of the housing and into a snitable recess in the belt-wheel A10, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 5, thus affording long smooth bearings which will facilitate high speed and reduce wear, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The carrier a3 for the eye-pointed needle a is pivoted on a shaft @4in bearings a5, preferably located within the casing and in the rear of thedrive-shaft, and said carrier, together with its needle, is reciprocated by means of a connecting-rod a6, pivotally connected with the carrier a3 at one end and at the opposite end provided with a strap a7, surrounding an eccentric on the drive-shaft of such size and eccentricity as to give the needle the requisite throw. The needle, it will be understood, of course, has a curvature approximately corresponding to the arc of a circle struck from the pivot'a4 as a center.

The vertically-movable implement b,which in the preferred type also takes the form of a relatively heavy eye -pointed needle, is mounted on a carrier b3, pivoted at b4 in a bearing b5, located above and in the rear of the plane of the drive-shaft, and receives its motion through the medium of a connectingrod 197, pivotally connectedA with the carrier at b and havin(r a stra b3 surrounding an eccentric, also located on the drive -shaft Thus these two devices will be operated directly by the drive-shaft, and the eccentrics may be set, as usual in machines of this class, to time the eye-pointed needle and verticallymovable implement for the proper formation of a stitch.

The transversely-movable implements, before referred to, are mounted on a carrier e, pivotally carried by a shaft e', the hub c4 of said carrier being extended in the form of a sleeve and provided with a transversely-extending arm e5, provided at the end with a projection taking the form of a balle, which latter tits in a spherical bearing e7in the lower end of a connecting rod or strap es, extending vertically and surrounding an eccentric el on the drive-shaft. The operation of the driveshaft, it will thus be seen, gives the carriere 'fasses an oscillation in a plane at right angles to the plane of oscillation of the eye-pointed needle and vertically-movable implement. The two transversely-movable implements are preferably mounted directly on the upper end of the carrier e, one of said implements being located in position to operate above the plane of the work and the other below the plane of the work. In the preferred type of machine the lower implement c takes the form of a hook which is adapted to take a loop of the thread from the rear side of the eye-pointed needle and draw it out into the plane of the vertically-movable implement b and in position for the latter to pass through such loop and to present its own thread to the upper one of the two transversely-movable implements, which latter (lettered D in the accompanying drawings) takes the form of a fork or what might be termed a fish-tail, which,

engaging a loop of the thread presented by y l of the implements and nuts c2 cl2 for locking said bolts and implements in their adjusted positions. It will be understood, however, that any ordinary means or mechanism may be employed for fastening these devices in position, as well as for clamping the vertically-movable implement and eye-pointed needle to their respective carriers.

The work-plate 1', upon which the work rests, is carried by a cover-plate I, suitably secured upon the casing, and said work-plate is provided with the usual slots for the passage of the feed-dog and with a slot or opening for the passage of an edge-controller, which parts will be presently described, and the work is held down upon said plate by means ofa presser-foot G, carried on the end of an arm G', pivotally mounted on abearing G2 at the back of the casing. In order to control said presser-foot, it is provided with -a transversely-extending arm g3, having a projection or guide g4 for coperation with a spring g5, confined between said arm and a set-screw g?, mounted in a projection g6 on the top cover-plate G. The spring serves to depress the presser-foot, and in order to elevate the same a hook-rod gS is mounted in the projection gi of the cover-plate Gr and provided with a controlling-handle g, pivoted on said hook-rod and cooperating with a projection g10 on the cover-plate, whereby when said handle is turned it will elevate the rod g8, and the latter, cooperating with the arm g3 of the presser-foot, will elevate the latter for the insertion or removal of the work.

For feeding the work a feed-dog f is provided, preferably cut away centrally for the `passage of the lower implement and mounted IOO IIO

Y drive-shaft.

f, which latteris pivotally mounted on the upper end of a rocking framef, the latter being in turn pivotally mounted in fixed bearings f5 in the housing in rear of the The rocking frame f3 imparts the horizontally-reciprocatory movements to the feed-dog, for which purpose said frame is connected by a rod and strap f7 With an eccentric f8, adjustably mounted on the driveshaft, the position of adjustment of said eccentric determining the extent of feed or throw of the feed-dog. The adjustability is secured by forming a slot f12 in the eccentric, through which slot the shaft extends, and providing on the sides of the eccentric suitable dovetail projections j, Working in a transverse dovetail groove formed in acollarfi, rigidly mounted on the drive-shaft. Screws f, passing through the dovetail projections fm, bear against the drive-shaft and aord a convenient and ready means for shifting the position of the eccentric with relation to the drive-shaft. Thus by loosening one screw and tightening the other the eccentricity of the eccentric may be varied at will. The carrier `f' for the feed-dog is provided with a reo- ,tangular slot or recess constituting a guide flo, in which Works a rectangular block f, having a bearing therein for an eccentricfl,

. mounted on the drive-shaft, which eccentric While stitches are being formed around its.

edge. This edge-controller is lettered h in the accompanying drawings, and it is adjustably mounted on a carrier It', corresponding somewhat in shape to the carrierf of the feed-dog, in that it is provided with a rectangular slotI or recess forming a guide h4, Within Which the block fn, before-described, fits and Works for imparting a vertical movement to the edge-controller 71, but said carrier 7L instead of being mounted on au oscillatory support, so as to be capable of a horizontal movement, is pivotally mounted in a fixed bearing h5 in the housing in rear of the drive-shaft and preferably above the plane of the drive-shaft. In operation this edgecontroller is elevated simultaneously with the elevation of the feed-dog, and consequently presses the goods at the ext-reme edge against the presser-foot during the time the feed-dog is making its operative stroke, thereby retarding slightly the extreme edge for the purposes before stated.

For convenience in gaining access to the Working parts of the machine and to avoid the necessity of removing the cover-plates a section of the front of the housing is preferably removed and a door A4 is fitted into the cut-out portion,suoh door being hinged upon a hollow spindle A5, extending through projections A6 A7 of the housing, the upper portion vor top of said door also constituting a portion plement, is preferably passed through the hollow shaft or spindle A5 and thence in through an opening or eye A9 at the left-hand end of said spindle and through an eye el1 in the carrier e, from Which point it extends to a guide b9 at the base of the vertically-movable implement and thence through the eye of said implement. The thread for the needle passes through a guide M on the cover-plate and thence to the eye of the needle, preferably passing at an intermediate point over the post or bolt a', which secures said needle in position.

For balancing up the mechanism a fixed balance eccentric N may be mounted on the drive-shaft, so as to be set in opposition to the working eccentrics thereon, and the strap for driving the transversely-movable implements may be prevented from oscillating when in operation by means of a collar or disk N, also mounted on the drive-shaft and lying close beside and parallel With the eccentric e10 and strap es.

The operation of the machine in its preferred form, as thus far described, will now be readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive. Referring to Fig. 8,

vit Will be seen that the needle has descended and the transverselymovable implements have begun their outward movement. In Fig. 9 the lower implement has taken a loop of the needle-thread and drawn the same out into the plane of the vertically-movable implement, which novv begins to ascend, and passes through said loop to the position indicated in Fig. l1. When the transverselymovable implements begin their inward movement, the lower implement drops the loop of needle-thread, which is caught by the vertically-movable implement, and the latter,

passing through it, carries its own thread upwardly, as indicated in Fig. ll, until it is in position to be taken by the upper one of the transverselymovable implements, as illustrated in Fig. l2, and by which itis carried forward into the path of the now descending needle, as illustrated in Fig. 18. The needle,

passing through the 'loop of thread presented by the upper implement, locks the same, at which moment the parts will be in the position illustrated in Fig. 13, ready to begin their return movement to the position illustrated in Fig. 8, When the same operations are re- The vtvvo transversely-movable impeated.

IOCI

IIO

plements being rigidly mounted on the same carrier, preservev their relative positions at all times, and it is obvious with very slight modifications of the forms of the working ends of said implements the number of threads employed may be varied through a wide range, and it is further obvious that where it is desired to form a stitch with two threads any one of the implements may be employed for carrying the second thread. Thus in Fig. 14 it will be seen that the lower implement is made in the form of a somewhat deep hook O, having an eye o in its end for the passage of the second thread, while the verticallymovable and upper transversely-movable implements are in this instance in the form of forks or pushers O O2 for simply catching and transferring the loop from the lower implement into the path of the needle. In Fig. 15 the form of vertically-movable implement employed in Fig. 14 is utilized and the 'form of lower implement illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13 is utilized; but the upper implement is in this case provided with an eye P, through which the second thread is passed, and this implement is adapted to take the loop pushed up by the vertically-movable implement, penetrate the same, and present its own thread to the needle. Having thus seen that any one of the implements may be a thread-carrying implement, it is obvious that any two or more of them may be thread-carrying implements, and consequently stitches may be formed with three or more threads. As illustrated in Fig. 16, the lower one of the transversely-movable implements and the vertically-movable implement are provided with eyes Q Q' for the passage of threads, and in Fig. 17 each of the implements is provided with an eye for a similar purpose, adapting the machine for use as a four-thread machine.

It is also obvious that all of the implements may operate upon loops of a single thread and the machine be in the form of a singlethread machine. Thus with the form of transversely-movable implements illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13 and the form of verticallymovable implement illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 the machine is well adapted for forming a single-thread stitch, as illustrated in Fig. 18.

It is obvious that the feeding apparatus is adapted to very fine adjustment from zero to maximum and is positive in its action. Further in the arrangement of looping mechanism of the machine illustrated as the preferred type the needle a and looper b both travel in a single plane and preferably move somewhat diagonally to each other, giving space for the looper o to pass at the rearof the needle a, permitting the looper c to pass in front of the looper b, and allowing the' looper c is moving into position to grasp the loop, and while the looper c is moving from left to right and discharging its loop the looper d is moving into position to engage its loop from the looper b, the arrangement being such that little or no time is lost by ineffectual movement; but some portion of the mechanism is continually active in the formation of the stitch. Thus the stitch itself is expeditiously formed, and by reason of this, as well as of the simple and direct character of the driving mechanism, the machine is capable of a high rate of speed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an overedging-machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a reciprocatory thread-carrying needle, a vertically-movable loop-carrying implement moving in a single plane, two transverselymovable loop-carrying implements moving in unison in single planes and driving mechanism for said needle and loop-carrying implements, substantially as described.

`2. In an overedging-machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities,'to wit: a reciprocatory thread-carrying needle, a loop-carrying implement guided to reciprocate in a single plane, substantially parallel to the plane in which the needle reciprocates, two loop-carrying implements guided to reciprocate in single planes transverse to the plane of reciprocation of the needle and driving mechanism for said needle and loop-carrying implements, substantially as described.

3. In an overseaming-'machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a reciprocat-ory thread-carrying needle, two transversely-movable loop-carrying implements moving in unison in single planes, and coperating with the needle, one above and the other below the work and a vertically-movable loop-carrying implement coperating with the transversely-movable implements at one side of the plane of the needle and driving mechanism for the needle and loop-carrying implements, substantially as described.

4. In an overseaming-machine, the combination with the driving mechanism, a threadcarrying needle and a work-plate, of two loopcarryingimplements mounted on a single carrier and working and coperating with the needle, one above and the other below the work-plate, and a third loop-carrying implement coperating with the two first-mentioned implements at one side of the plane of movement of the needle, substantially as described.

5. In an overseaming-machine, the combination with the driving mechanism, a threadcarrying needle and a work-plate, of two loopcarrying implements mounted on a single carrier pivoted on a stationary axis, one coperating with the needle above and the other below the work-plate, and a loop-carrying implement coperating with the two first-men- ICO IIO

tioned implements at a point at one side of the plane in which the needle works by carryinga loop of thread from the path of one of said implements to the path of the other of said implements, substantially as described.

6. In an overseaming-machine, the combination with the driving mechanism, a threadcarrying needle and a work-plate, of two loopcarrying implements mounted on asingle carrier pivoted on a fixed axis and with their operative ends in different planes whereby one cooperates with the needle on one side above the work-plate and the other cooperates with the needle on the opposite side below the work-plate, and a third loop-carryingimplement cooperating with the two first-mentioned implements at a point at one side of the plane in which the needle works, substantially as described.

7.` In an overseaming-machine, the combination with the driving mechanism, a threadcarrying needle and a Work-plate, of two loopcarrying implements mounted on a single carrier pivoted on a fixed axis and working one above and the other below the work-plate, the lower one of said implements having a hook for engaging the needle-thread and the upper one having a fork for pushing a loop into the path of the needle, and a third loopcarrying implement cooperating with the two first-mentioned implements at a point at one side of the plane in which the needle works, substantially as described.

8. In an overseaming-machine, the combination with the driving mechanism, a threadcarrying needle and a work-plate, of two loopcarryingimplements mounted on a single carrier pivoted on a xed axis and working one above and the other below the work-plate, the lower one of said implements having a hook for engaging the needle-thread and the upper one having a fork for pushing a loop into the path of the needle, and a third loopcarrying implement having an eye for a thread and co perating with the two first-mentioned implements at a point at one side of the plane in which the needle works, substantially as described.

9. In an overseaming-machine, the combination with a thread-carrying needle and a vertically-movable loop-carrying implement working in a plane at one side of the plane in which the needle works, of two transversely-movable loop carrying implements working in unison, one above and the other below the plane of the work, said implements passing on opposite sides of the needle and vertically-movable implement and each passing on one side of the said vertically-movable implement and on the opposite side of the needle, and driving mechanism for the needle and implements, substantially as described.

lO. In an overseaming-machine, the combination with the drive-shaft, a needle-carrier and needle and a vertically-movable loop-carrying implement mounted to oscillate in planes tran sverse to the drive-shaft and moving in single planes respectively, of two loopcarrying implements mounted on a single carrierjournaled to oscillate in a plane longitudinally of the drive-shaft,one of said implements working above and the other below the plane ot' the work; the said vertically-movable loopcarrying implement being adapted to carry a loop of thread from the path of one of said implements to the path of the other of said implements; substantially as described.

WILLIAM H. STEDMAN.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. PECK, W. A. W. STEWART. 

